Pro Se Staff Attorney Job in Alexandria, VA

Vacancy No. FY26-16A Department U.S. Courts
Salary $143,913.00 to $187,093.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 4/10/2026 Close Date 4/8/2027
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Alexandria, VA


Summary

The Pro Se Staff Attorney works closely with the district judges and chambers staff to resolve immigration litigation and § 1983 and post-conviction habeas litigation filed by pro se prisoners. The position involves performing initial case screening, preparing draft orders, and overseeing procedural compliance. This role is particularly critical given the urgent liberty interests at stake, the complexity of the underlying administrative records, and the frequency of self-represented detainees.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Duties

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES:

  • Taking primary responsibility for a portion of the Court's immigration and pro se prisoner dockets;
  • Providing substantive legal analysis of pleadings and making recommendations directly to the district judges regarding the dispositions of motions;
  • Drafting appropriate orders and opinions for review by district judges;
  • Efficiently managing the flow of the Court's immigration and pro se prisoner litigation;
  • Providing information to district judges and court staff on legal issues unique to immigration and prisoner post-conviction litigation;
  • Evaluating existing procedures and developing and implementing improved processes for the adjudication of the Court's immigration and pro se prisoner litigation;
  • Collaborating with other staff attorneys and chambers law clerks; and
  • Performing other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • Employees must be United States citizens or eligible to work in the United States.
  • Employees will be hired provisionally pending the results of a background investigation.
  • Employees are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees.
  • Employees are required to use Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposit.

Qualifications

  • Law school graduate (top quarter or law review required), with at least three years of professional legal experience and one year of federal clerkship experience. Strong preference for attorneys with experience working on immigration litigation and § 1983 and habeas corpus issues.
  • Computer proficiency in Windows applications, word processing ability in Microsoft Word, and experience with computer-assisted legal research are required.
  • Applicants must have the ability to analyze complex legal issues and understand a wide range of legal concepts, principles, and practices as they relate to immigration and post-conviction litigation; perform legal research and write accurately and expeditiously; communicate complex issues clearly with a professional demeanor; set priorities; and manage work with limited supervision.
  • Applicants must be detail-oriented and possess excellent organizational skills.

Education

Law school graduate (top quarter or law review required).

Additional information

  • Positions with the United States District Court Clerk's Office are Excepted Service appointments.
  • Excepted service appointments are at will and can be terminated with or without cause by the Court.
  • The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, to withdraw the job announcement, or to fill the position sooner than the closing date, if a closing date is shown; any of these actions may occur without any prior written or other type of notice.
  • To view the full job announcement please visit our website at www.vaed.uscourts.gov/job.
The United States District Court is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

All applications will be reviewed to identify the best qualified candidates. Only applicants selected for an interview will be notified. Applicants not selected for an interview will not receive notice concerning the status of their application. Preference will be given to candidates who are able to start as soon as possible.

Required Documents

  • Cover letter;
  • Detailed resume including educational background, past employment, and references;
  • Law school transcript; and
  • Writing sample
See 'How to Apply' for instructions.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

The application package should be sent via email in one combined PDF document to: Tammy Reno at: lmb_lcapplication@vaed.uscourts.gov.

Priority consideration will be given to applications received by April 17, 2026.

Agency contact information

Human Resources
Phone
757-222-7303
Email
lmb_lcapplication@vaed.uscourts.gov
Address
US District Court and US Probation Office - Eastern District of Virginia
600 Granby Street
Norfolk, VA 23510
US

Next steps

Only applicants selected for an interview will be notified. Applicants not selected for an interview will not receive notice concerning the status of their application.

U.S. Courts

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia is part of the judicial branch of the federal government. There are 94 U.S. District Courts in the country with at least one in every state and in all U.S. territories.
Virginia is bifurcated geographically and consists of two Districts - the Eastern District and the Western District. The Eastern District of Virginia has four divisions: Alexandria, Norfolk, Newport News, and Richmond. There are approximately 6.5 million residents within the Eastern District of Virginia's jurisdiction.
Federal courts hear cases involving the constitutionality of laws, disputes between states, and criminal cases originating from various federal agencies with law enforcement authority.

Agency contact information

Human Resources
Phone
757-222-7303
Email
lmb_lcapplication@vaed.uscourts.gov
Address
US District Court and US Probation Office - Eastern District of Virginia
600 Granby Street
Norfolk, VA 23510
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at U.S. Courts, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.vaed.uscourts.gov/


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